Republicans are growing increasingly anxious about Darline Graham’s Senate campaign, with members of the party privately concerned that the seat once held by her late brother, Lindsey, could ultimately be captured by Democrats.
Donald Trump personally selected Darline to succeed Lindsey after his death in July. The president later urged her to seek the Republican nomination for a full Senate term, and she agreed to enter the race.
But questions have persisted about her limited political experience and commitment to the campaign. In one interview, she even joked that she was going “to choke Lindsey” for putting her in the position of running.
The race took a dramatic turn this week when a new poll showed Graham deadlocked with Democratic challenger Annie Andrews. The result prompted Trump to stage another campaign event for Graham in a state he carried by 18 percentage points only two years ago.
A Wall Street Journal report now says Republican sources have privately criticized Trump for insisting that Graham run, arguing that the party could have recruited a stronger candidate.
Those Republicans describe Graham as an unwilling and inexperienced contender who has struggled to raise money and remains unfamiliar to many political figures in her home state.
Ralph Norman, whom Graham defeated in the primary, has been especially open about his opposition. He said his entire family—all Republicans—plans to withhold its support from her.
“The reason he’s here is she’s lagging in the polls. He’s doing it because she is in trouble,” Norman said.
Republicans are increasingly worried about Darline Graham’s Senate campaign, with some fearing that the seat previously held by her late brother Lindsey could fall to Democrats
Donald Trump selected Darline Graham to succeed her brother after Lindsey died in July and later persuaded her to seek a full Senate term
“He could be in other states like Ohio or Texas that are in trouble, but he’s in Rock Hill, South Carolina.”
Graham has attributed her low profile to the demands of settling into her new Senate role, saying she has been unable to spend enough time away from Washington to campaign at home.
Andrews, a pediatrician and former unsuccessful congressional candidate, has portrayed Graham as a Washington insider who supports the expansion of data centers.
“Even though we’re a solid red state, it’s almost like she had an advantage,” Graham said.
According to sources cited by the Journal, Graham became more active in debate preparation and campaign appearances after a difficult early performance in which she said, “national security is not my thing.”
Trump has also tried to bolster her campaign by attacking Andrews over social issues, portraying the Democrat as a radical and using an inflammatory nickname tied to her alleged support for transgender children.
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Even after Graham’s campaign showed signs of improvement, Norman continued to question whether she had earned the support of Republican voters.
“You have to earn the vote. She hasn’t done that,” Norman said, while declining to disclose whether he voted for her.
A new poll found Darline Graham and Democrat Annie Andrews tied, prompting Trump to hold another campaign event in a state he won by 18 points two years ago
Ralph Norman, who lost to Graham in the Republican primary, says his family plans to withhold its support from her
“The campaign has been about trying to prop up a candidate,” Norman added.
South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1998, when Charleston’s Fritz Hollings won his final term. He remained in office until 2005.
Trump, who developed a close friendship with Lindsey Graham and spoke at his funeral, has taken a personal interest in the contest and held several rallies on behalf of Darline.
The former president has accused Andrews of supporting “Transgender for Everyone, Open Borders, Defunding the Police, High Taxes, a Weak Military,” as well as efforts to restrict Americans’ gun rights.
“Trannie is not for South Carolina, and South Carolina must show, in the upcoming Election, that it is not for her. VOTE FOR DARLINE GRAHAM,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last month.
Andrews responded by focusing on everyday economic concerns and emphasizing her background as a mother and pediatrician.
Graham’s lack of experience in policymaking has remained one of the central criticisms of her campaign.
Although she supported her brother’s political career for years, Darline had never held elected office before joining the Senate.
When she appeared alongside Trump at a rally in Pendleton, South Carolina, last week, Graham spoke for fewer than two minutes and devoted much of her brief remarks to praising the president.
She described Trump as “one of Lindsey’s greatest friends” and said he “will always be a part of the Graham family.”
The Republican Party allocated another $5 million to South Carolina last month to help support Graham’s campaign.
Axios reported that the additional funding was being treated as an “insurance policy” aimed at protecting a Republican-held seat that Lindsey had consistently won by more than 10 percentage points.
